The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting a context of this disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Vehicles include instrument panels with several gauges and dials that communicate vehicle conditions such as speed, engine rpm, temperature, oil pressure along with many other operational parameters.
Each vehicle gauge typically includes a pointer that rotates about an axis to point to a specific graphic on the gauge dial to indicate a current vehicle operating parameter. Pointer assemblies can be illuminated. Light sources that are not orientated along the axis of rotation provide different amounts of light for each rotational position of the pointer assembly. As the pointer rotates, typically (in the case of rear pick up pointers) only the light sources that are on an outer side of the rotational axis from the pointer arm will provide light that is directed into the pointer arm. The light from light sources disposed on a side of the rotational axis that is next to the pointer arm (the inside light sources, as the pointer rotates) is typically wasted entirely because it never reaches a reflecting surface to conduct the light into the pointer needle.
It is desirable to provide and develop pointer assemblies that provide substantially uniform illumination at any position about the axis of rotation relative to the dial gauge surface and to use as much of the light from the light sources as possible. Accordingly, it is desirable to design and develop a pointer assembly and gauge that provides efficient illumination, utilizing as much light as possible.